Director Taylor Hackford has changed visually over the years.  His earlier films, "An Officer and a Gentleman", "The Idolmaker", "Against All Odds" were all 1.85:1.  Starting with "Deloris Claiborne" and now with "Devil's Advocate", his visual compositions have greatly improved and broadened, literally, to an aspect ratio of 2.35:1.  The new WARNER BROS DVD release of   "Devil's Advocate" goes a long way in complimenting Hackford's often stunning images.  One best recognizes this when(if owning a 16:9 tv)viewing the anamorphic widescreen image.  The DVD offers a slick looking image and great depth in almost every shot.  It's far superior to that of the laserdisc.  Maybe it's a freak coincidence,  but we can't help but feel that  several Warner Bros. lasers been lacking in quality since IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT  has been working more with them.   The  Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is extremely active.  When the menu appears on screen, the 5.1 music makes one feel they've walked into the middle of  a Wagner opera.  Our only criticism lies in the fact that although the DVD boasts of the nearly 30 minutes of deleted scenes, they can't be enjoyed at all!!!!  For some reason, totally without common sense, we have to sit and endure Director Hackford loudly speak over almost every frame of every deleted scene, expounding on why he likes what we're trying to listen to!!!!  What was he thinking???

The plot, involving Keanu Reeves joining a law firm that is obviously run by the devil, is filled with holes, and worst of all, relies on a cheap device for an ending. Hint:Something akin to it's all a bad dream!!!  Can you believe it? 

"Mad City" isn't an easy film to watch.  It becomes unsettling fairly quickly for many reasons.  First of all, Travolta plays a character we're not used to and the story becomes too dark at times.  This can't be said about the DVD transfer.   It's stunning!  The image is as sharp an image as any that we've seen so far on DVD and the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound engrosses the viewer from the opening credits.   The plot involving a museum guard, whom after losing his job, tries to get it back at gunpoint, is heavier than most viewers will probably expect.  Still, if viewers hang in there, it's well worth the ride.

Bill Murray's back!  While "The Man Who Knew Too Little" is still not up to the quality of  his earlier films,  it's much better than "Larger Than Life".  It's not consistently funny, and even at 94 minutes, it feels too long, but it has a charm to it, and holds up on repeated viewings.  The plot involving Murray visiting his successful brother in England and unwittingly becoming a pawn in a spy caper, makes for a more sophisticated comedy than most Murray fans are used to.   Director Jon Amiel gives a nice visual feel to the film which is perfectly complimented in this slick transfer.  As one would expect, some of the London scenes take place in a dark, rainy atmosphere.  It's to the credit of  DVD technology that the picture in scenes like these retains great depth.  Amiel provides audio commentary on a separate track, and fans of the film score can enjoy it by itself on another isolated track.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 is fairly active, though effects are more atmospheric than directional.